Russia’s Huawei 5G Conundrum
Short version
The action being taken by various governments to limit the involvement of China’s Huawei in the provision of equipment for 5G has brought into sharp-focus an issue that has been around for some time, but is now becoming more acute for national security of individual countries. That is, how to ensure that purchased Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hardware and software does not contain aspects, either at time of purchase or later, that offer the possibility of being maliciously used on a large scale – either for espionage or sabotage of crucial national infrastructure.
Australia has totally banned the use of Huawei equipment in its future 5G telecommunications network, while the US has banned its use by official organizations. The US, UK and a number of other developed countries may eventually follow the Australian lead.
Recent focus has been very much on 5G because of the role that it will play in supporting the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud etc; and, the outsized role that Chinese companies in supplying much of the needed infrastructure (eg Huawei and ZTE) around the world.
The international developments seem almost certain to put Russia in a difficult position. Is it anti-Huawei, pro-Huawei, or somewhere in the middle. If it is in the middle, how does Russia ensure its national security interests?
Full version
The action being taken by various governments to limit the involvement of China’s Huawei in the provision of equipment for 5G has brought into sharp-focus an issue that has been around for some time, but is now becoming more acute for national security of individual countries. That is, how to ensure that purchased Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hardware and software does not contain aspects, either at time of purchase or later, that offer the possibility of being maliciously used on a large scale – either for espionage or sabotage of crucial national infrastructure.
Australia has totally banned the use of Huawei equipment in its future 5G telecommunications network, while the US has banned its use by official organizations. The US, UK and a number of other developed countries may eventually follow the Australian lead.
Recent focus has been very much on 5G because of the role that it will play in supporting the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud etc; and, the outsized role that Chinese companies in supplying much of the needed infrastructure (eg Huawei and ZTE) around the world.
The international developments seem almost certain to put Russia in a difficult position. Is it anti-Huawei, pro-Huawei, or somewhere in the middle. If it is in the middle, how does Russia ensure its national security interests?
A Russian National Technology Initiative (NTI) document in 2016 saw the world as being increasingly divided up into closed “economic-trade” blocs formed on the basis of a combination of economic and political issues. It was argued that these blocs, or alliances, aim to “develop and retain production value added chains” that are protected from outside competition by ensuring that their rules and standards become the norm [
8. Mike Burgess, Director-General ASD, speech to ASPI National Security Dinner, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 29 October 2018 ” https://www.asd.gov.au/speeches/20181029-aspi-national-security-dinner.htm
9. “Secure 5G: The Eisenhower National Highway System for the Information Age” ” https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4361020/Secure-5g.pdf
10. Klint Finley and Lily Hay Newman, “Proposal for Federal Wireless Network Shows Fear of China”, 29 January 2018
” https://www.wired.com/story/proposal-for-federal-wireless-network-shows-fear-of-china/
11. “The Ministry of Communications is in favor of a single operator for 5G networks.” Светлана Ястребова, Павел Кантышев, “Минкомсвязи выступает за единого оператора для 5G-сетей”, Ведомости, 30 января 2019 ” https://www.vedomosti.ru/technology/articles/2019/01/30/792765-k
12. Elsa Kania, “Much ado about Huawei (part 2)”, The Strategist, 28 March 2018 ” https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/much-ado-huawei-part-2/
13. Jeff Schubert, “Russia’s “National Technology Initiative: “Waiting for the High-Tech Tooth-Fairy”, 28 September 2016 ” http://russianeconomicreform.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/NTI-ENGLISH-VERSION.pdf
14. “СТРАТЕГИЯ, развития информационного общества в Российской Федерации” http://www.kremlin.ru/acts/bank/41919/page/1